HAPPY VALLEY-GOOSE BAY, N.L. — When well-known humanitarian Regula Schule was murdered in Happy Valley-Goose Bay in 2017 it shocked the community. Jonathon Henoche was arrested for the crime a few months later and was killed in prison before ever going to trial.
St. John's-based author and filmmaker Kenneth J. Harvey is working on a documentary on the life and death of Schule, titled "The Moravian."
He told SaltWire Network he heard about the 88-year-old former missionary’s death and it caught his attention for various reasons.
Her background as a missionary, how much she was loved by the community and the police operation that saw Henoche arrested all drew his interest.
When asked if the film would be about her life or the circumstances of her death, Harvey said it would be about humanity, life and love.
“The film is about the complexity of being human, of being damaged, of living a life of care and charity, of giving those gifts of care and charity to people, and people taking those gifts in need and with great appreciation or taking those gifts in an abusive and thankless way, to feed excess,” he said. “It is also a film about loss.”
Schule was a prolific humanitarian, known to never leave anyone without food or shelter. She volunteered at the Labrador Correctional Centre, where it is believed she met Henoche. Inmates at the prison made a coffin for Shule after her death to show how much she meant to them.
Dean MacDonald, executive producer for the film, said it’s a complex story and has elements of joy and tragedy. Harvey can make the ordinary extraordinary, he said, and highlight the beauty and tragedy of the story. MacDonald said he was worked with Harvey on other projects, most recently documentaries on Christopher Pratt and Mary Pratt.
The fact that Schule initially came to Labrador as a missionary is also a part of the film, MacDonald said, and how that plays into her story is important.
“It can help people understand the depths of the story and what an incredible human nature story this is,” he said. “I’m excited about it.”
Harvey said since the trailer went up on YouTube on May 7 it has gotten a great deal of attention from across North America, and the full film is slated to be released early in 2021.
Evan Careen is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter covering Labrador for SaltWire Network
